The media are not simply a communication tool. They can shape and define what we see. As a key social institution, the media contribute to the construction of meaning and 'common-sense' understandings in everyday life. While the media have this power to influence the social and political landscape, individuals are also active consumers. This unit examines the role that the media play in contemporary society by drawing on the sociology of the media, media theory and cultural studies accounts of mass and popular culture. Particular attention will be given to different forms of media, how media texts are created, the ways in which the media are responsible for different types of social interaction and serve to shape social identities such as gender, and the impact of globalisation and new technologies on media practices.
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